How to Treat Hives During Pregnancy

First of all, congratulations, and I hope it’s a boy! I’m not selective, but getting rashes while pregnant is a sign of a boy.

Hives during pregnancy can be scary, but relax. Your baby is safe, and urticaria (the medical term for hives or nettle-rash) isn’t contagious.

I know. It’s itchy and embarrassing. Hives can be located only on your belly or on your entire body. You name it! You can get them in your face, in your throat, your hands and legs, and last but not least, on your intimate parts.

You’re not alone. Hives are quite common, as 20% of the U.S population develops hives sometime in their life.

Most women consult their OBGYN as soon as they get urticaria, but I’m pretty sure she’ll refer you to a specialist or dermatologist.

The dermatologist will typically prescribe antihistamines as a first approach, and then he might prescribe Benadryl or Zyrtec if your hives didn’t go away on their own.

Now, the problem is that sometimes, urticaria will not go away on its own.

There are two scenarios: the first is that you are used to getting hives (seasonally or all the time). The second scenario is that you only get hives during pregnancy or during menstruation.

If you already suffer from hives sometimes accompanied with angioedema (big welts on the face and lips), then maybe your itch is caused by something other than pregnancy.

This can be due to germs infecting your stomach, being sensitive to heat, cold or pressure and it may require specific tests, especially if you have been dealing with urticaria for several months.

The common cause is that you’re allergic to your own hormones, and you can know that, as I said, when you exclusively start getting hives during pregnancy or during menstruation.

Your hormones go crazy during pregnancy, which can trigger your autoimmune system to overreact.

Most dermatologists will claim that it’s rare. But it is NOT. I mean, look at how many forums there are just talking about this precise issue.

Whenever you get hives during pregnancy, here are some of the things you can do.

Rub garlic on your belly and apply Vaseline to soothe the itch.

Mix 3 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar with 3 ounces of filtered (distilled) water to dilute it and spray the affected area.

Please note that apple cider vinegar should contain a sediment called “the mother.” This means you should use a raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Many of the ACVs on the market are useless. A very well-known brand for organic ACV is Bragg’s.

Don’t use it without dilution because it stings.

These days, there are products that claim to relieve hives and angioedema, but they were proven not helpful.

Also, stay away from turmeric. It’s not any good for you during this period, and it can worsen your condition. That’s another topic, and it will take another subject to talk about it.

The book, Urticaria No More, discusses how dermatologists can misdiagnose your condition. While urticaria during pregnancy isn’t considered threatening to your baby, it might be threatening to you in the long term, and, in some rare cases, it may require surgery.

Getting hives during pregnancy is a red alert you should not ignore because most women who get hives during pregnancy or menstruation will have to face that pain until delivery because in the majority of cases, your doctor won’t discover exactly what the real cause behind your urticaria is.

There are plenty of reasons for why people get rashes, and, in many cases, it isn’t an allergy, as you may have thought. Rather, it’s something else.